Excavating machinery.



PATENTED JULY 1'7, 1906.

W. FERRIS.

v No. 826,096.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 826,096. PATENTED JULY 1'7, 1906. W. PERRIS. EXGAVATING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nfs NoRRls PETERS co.. WASHINGTON. D, c.

No. 826,096. PATENTBD JULY l?, 1906. W. PERRIS. EXGAVATING MACHINERY.

.APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1l, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

rne Hormis PETERs CJ.. wAsHlNc1oN,-n. c.

EXCAVATING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I LBUGYRUSIGOMPANYJOE SOUTH l* RATION OF WISCONSIN...

f/IiL-WAUKEE, wisconsin, A Conrof EXCAVATING yMAC,l-llfl'a'laYl A ivo.826,096.,',' i

i, speineation of Letters-1 atent- Patent-ea July 17. 1906;

Application filed November 11,1905.' Serial Nvo.'v28 6','7'73.

T all whom if may concern: y f f- Be it known that I, WALTER FERRIS, a'citie Vzen ofthe UnitedI States, residing at South Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee,y State of Wisconsin, have invented certain newy and useful i Improvements vin Excavating Machinery; and I' dohereby declare the following tobe a'full', clear, and'exact description of the invention; suchl as will enable others skilled inthe art to`whichit appertains to make and use the same. ff The'inventi'on yrelates Vgenerally'to excavating machinery, and in its more particular application toy apparatus for excavating canals and the like, and has for its object to provide a self-contained apparatus ca able of excavating the cutv for the canal, o cutting down and levelingv off the berm surface ahead of itfand of 'properly distributing the spoilI the entire apparatus being preferably mounted vupon'afhull adapted to oat on the water in the excavated portion of the canal and being provided with speciall means for varying' the degree yof ysubmergence of the hull, whereby the latter may be freely'floated from place'to place when thelapparatus is not being operated or may besubmergedto'a degree sufficient tof cause it to ybe supported upon the bed or banks'of the canal duringthe digging operation, thereby dispensing lwith the lcumbersome and expensive'spudding mechanism heretofore employed infloating dredges.l These and other objects of the invention will appear more articularly in the following specification wfien considered 4in connection with 'theaccompanying draw'- ings, in whichr-y Figure l is a front-elevation of the ferred form of the a paratus. Fig.v 2 1s a plan view'thereof.I ig Sisa simllar view showing some slight modifications in the op,- erating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a partial front elevation of the apparatuspillustrating another formof supporting the sameduring the digging operation; Eig. 5is aside elevation of the walking-Spud mechanism.

It has been proposed heretofore lto con- Astruct anapp aratus for excavating canals and thelike comprising a bridge or truss spanning the cut and mounted upon. trucks operating 'upon-rails vor trackwayslocated upon the banks oriother suitable supports on either side Aof the out; with ran''elevator-dredge 'and suitable conveyer'mech'anisin mounted upon a vtruck adapted to traverse the truss from end to end,v whereby the dredge could be movedback and forth across the cut and ex# cavate and deliver-the s oil to the conve'yer, which in turn 'deposite the spoil along: the bank' or banks of'thecut. In operating this type ofv apparatus it is necessary that the bank or berm on either side of the cut beaccurately'leveled ahead of the machine before the latter could be advanced fora freshcut. In hilly 'or'rolling countries this leveling of the berm would involve as much labor as the digging of the canal proper. It has also been proposed 'tomount a' suitable cross-traversing dredge mechanism upon a floating hull and to support the overhanging'truss ends by heavy adjustable' spuds, either in the form of a bank-Spud or an ordinary vertical dredgespud attached to the truss ends. The practical dificulties encountered'in this practice consisted, first, in the 'large cost'of a spud sufhciently strong to support the whole weight of the excavating machinery which was imposed thereon when the apparatus lwas digging up againstr the berm, and, second, in providing enough vertical movement of the spud to compensate for the rise and fall inthe heightV of the natural berm above the water-level in the canal. This rise and fall made'it necessary to construct the truss asy high as the highest ground over which the excavator would have to pass or to cut down the berm ahead of the excavator by hand sufliciently to allow the spud to operate. In both of these former types no provision was made for'disftributing the spoil evenly along the sides of the cut, and the result' was that the spoil-banks varied in width according to the depth of the cut. The present invention is intended to overcome all of these difficulties by providing a hull that is capable of being floated freely during its advance move- ICO banks or berms on either side of the cut, and

an ma to deliver the spoil to one or more conveyers, which discharge the spoil upon one side or the other of the cut, said conveyers being adapted to swing longitudinally of the spoilbank in order to distribute the spoil evenly.

In the accompanying drawings, a indicates a scow or hull upon which the apparatus is mounted, said hull being of sufficient capacity to float freely upon the water in the excavated portions lof the canal, or cut C. Mounted upon the Vhull a is a truss or bridgelike structure l), which runs transversely of the hull and has its outboard ends extended sufficiently to overhang the bank or berm on each side of the cut. Mounted on top of the truss t are two sets of tracks b, running longitudinlly of the truss and adapted to support a truck c, which supports the excavating and conveying apparatus and by which the latter is moved progressively back and forth across the cut during the entire digging operation. The excavating and conveying apparatus are mounted upon a swinging table or platform d, pivotally mounted upon the truck c, so that the excavating and conveying mechanism, in addition to a rectilinear motion longitudinally of the truss and transversely of the cut, may also have imparted thereto a pivotal or rotatory motion, for reasons to be hereinafter more fully explained.

The conveyer is preferably of the elevatordredge type, consisting of the adjustable bucket-chain e, the individual buckets of which discharge into a hopper f, which in turn delivers the spoil through spouts g to one or the other of two swinging-boom conveyers 7L L.' It will be understood, of course, that the elevator-dredge and the boom conveyers are suspended in the usual manner upon the swinging platform d, so that they may be adjusted to suit varying conditions of the work.

As hereinbefore indicated, it is proposed to dispense with the usual spudding mechanism and to support the hull upon the adjacent ground To accomplish this, the hull is provided with a sea-cock m, by means of which water may be admitted to the body of the hull in suflicient quantity to cause the hull to be submerged to any desired degree. This submergence of the hull brings the ends of the truss b, which overhang the banks or `berms on either side of the canal, closer thereto, so that they will eventually rest upon the berms or upon suitable feet or blockingwhile the left-hand support se consists of a single foot, the right-hand berm being so much lower than the left-hand berm as to require the extra blocking to level the truss.

When the excavator mechanism is to be moved to a new position, the water is expelled from the hull preferably by means of a pump n, thereby lightening the hull and causing it to rise until the truss floats entirely clear of the berm. The apparatus is then advanced to its position for anew cut, the blocking adjusted on the berm sides to receive the ends of the truss, and the water again admitted to the hull to increase the submergence-of the latter until the truss ends engage the blocking on the berms. In order to render this mode of supporting the excavator upon the berms of the canal or cut practical, it is necessary that the berms be substantially level, and where the country through which the canal is to run is not level the berms. must be lcut down and leveled ahead of the apparatus. Itis the purpose of the present invention to effect this cutting down and leveling of the berms by means of the excavator itself, and this berm cutting and leveling operation is one of the salient reasons for pivoting the excavating machineryupon the hull, so as to give it a swinging movement in addition to the rectilinear movement across the cut. It will be noted upon reference to Figs. l, 2, and 3 that at each of the traversing movements of the elevator-dredge it is swung outward at an angle across the berm and trims and levels the berm to a suicientextent to permit the truss ends to be supported thereby. The turntable or platform d, which supports the excavator, may of course be swung through any desired arc to bring the excavator out over the berm and ahead of the apparatus, so that the berm may be cut and trimmed to any desired width and to any desired maximum height above the water-level. Thus when the natural berm is somewhat higher than the desired height above the water it is trimmed off and leveled by the excavator before the apparatus is moved ahead. When the natural berm on one or both sides is too low to be engaged by the ends of. the truss when kthe flotation of the hull is varied by admitting water thereto, it is only necessary t`o block up between the footing on the low side or sides and the ends of the truss or to lay temporary blocking on the berm before moving ahead to the new position. This trimming of the berm is an important element in the successful and rapid operation of the apparatus, and the pivoting of the exj cavating apparatus upon the hull to permit the trimming and leveling of the berms also constitutes an important element of the invention, particularly when this feature is combined with the mode of supporting the apparatus by changing the flotation of the hull and causing the truss ends to be sup-l hull, as shown in Fig. 4, which legs are adapted to engage the bottom and support the hull and the apparatus carried thereby when the said hull has been partially filled with Water byway of the sea-cock m. When it is desired to move ahead,the hull is pumped out and floats clear of the bottom, or in some cases such feet may be omitted and the bottom of thehull may rest directly upon the canal-bottom.

In order to move the excavating apparatus ahead, there is preferably employed a walking-Spud 0c, attached to the stern of the dredge-hull, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, which spud is operated by the hoisting-cable z, connected to winch v, and by the hauling-cable e, operatively connected with winch y, said Winches v and y being driven by a motor u, which is connected by gearing y with the gears o and fy of the Winches o and y, respectively. This walking-Spud m also prevents any tendency of the apparatus to swing sidewise.

The mechanism for moving the truck and the' excavating and conveying apparatus longitudinally of the truss may be of any desired type. One form of such mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 2, in which there are provided two winding-drums p p', mounted upon a shaft s on the truck-body c and below the platform d, said drums being driven from a suitable motor o. The drums p and p are adapted to alternately wind in and let out the hauling-cables g and g', respectively, which cables pass around fair-leads r and r at opposite ends of the truss and are connected at their ends to the forward end of the swinging platform. As the shaft s is driven in one direction drum p winds in cable q and correspondingly drum p pays out cable g', and the truck c is accordingly drawn across the truss from left to right. The opposite movement of the shaft s results in the reverse movement of the truck c along the truss. The lstrain of the winch machinery thus not only pulls the traversing car across the truss, but assists in pulling the buckets of the elevatordredge sidewise into their cut.

In order to swing the platform on the carbody so as to move the elevator dredge into proper position to dig the slopes of the canalcut and also to cut down and level the berm on either side, the drum-shaft s is extended and provided at its end with abevel-pinion s',

-which meshes with an arc-shaped rack attached to the lower side of the swinging platnary ladder and conveyer hoisting-drums,

from a motor 0. In order to swing the platform cl from side to side as the apparatus travels across the cut, there is provided on the top of the car-body c an arc-shaped guide-flange c, about which is stretched a cable k, anchored at both ends and taking several turns around a winding-drum Z, operatively connected with the drums p p, which operate the cables g and g@ respectively. In order to properly guide the cable 7c as it passes onto and leaves the drum Z, there are provided suitable fair-leads l and Z. It will be noted that with this construction as the truck c is moved backward and forward by the hauling-cables g and g the winding-drum l will be rotated in one direction or the other, thereby taking in the cable c on one side and paying it out on the other and as a consequence swinging the platform d to the right or left. This latter arrangement permits of all the operating mechanism being placed upon the upper or swinging platform d, where it is readily accessible, and also allows of ready regulation and adjustment of the rate of swiveling or rotation of the upper platform should this be found desirable. The conveyers h and zf, which are of the boom type, are swiveled at their inner end in order that the outboard end of said conveyers may be swung longitudinally of the spoil-bank. It is often desirable to keep the spoil-bank on each side as narrow as possible. In the arrangement of apparatus shown the spoil is delivered alternately to each conveyer, the delivery being changed by suitable valve mechanism in thehopper f as the excavator passes across the middle of the canal. Each conveyer, therefore, it made only sufficiently long to reach trom the middle of the canal to the near side of the spoil-bank. If the conveyer were rigidly attached to the platform d so as to project laterally at right angles to the axis of the apparatus at all times, as is usual in apparatus of this type, it is obvious that each spoil-bank would be one-half as wide as the total cut plus the width of the slopes of the spoil at the edges of the bank.

In order that the spoil-banks may be narrowed, the conveyers h h are mounted on pivots at the inner ends thereof, and some mechanism, preferably automatic, is arranged to steadily swing the discharging-conveyer toward the stern of the dredge as the excavating mechanism moves toward the bank upon which the spoil is being deposited. A simple and efficient mechanism for accom- IOO plishing this swinging movement of the conveyers is illustrated in Fig. 3, in whichf indicates an arm connected to the swiveled footcasting which supports the con veyer and which is itself connected. by a link e with an arm m, which engages with a suitable guideway a, formed by two strips or battens nailed to the top af the truss l), which guideway runs parallel with the tracks throughout the intermediate section of the truss and which inclines to the rear at the ends, so that as the truck approaches either end of the truss the pendent arm m', engaging the guideway a, swings the operating-conveyer so that its end moves backward along the spoil-bank, and in the reverse movement of the truck the convey er is swung back to position, so that the point of delivery of the conveyer moves longitudinally of the spoilbank and keeps the same within the desired narrow limits.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for excavating canals and the like, the combination of a floating hull, a truss mounted transversely of said hull and extending over the berm on each side of the cut, an excavator andfspoil-conveyer mounted for longitudinal and rotary movement on said truss, and means independent of the water of flotation for supporting the apparatus during the digging operation.

2. In a machine for excavating canals and the like, the combination of a floating hull, an excavator and spoil-conveyer mounted for transverse and rotary movement on said hull, whereby the excavator may operate to dig the cut and to level the berm on either side thereof, and means independent of the water of flotation for supporting the apparatus during the digging operation.

3. In a machine for excavating canals and -the like, the combination of a floating hull, means for varying the degree of submergence of said hull, an excavator and spoil-conveyer mounted for transverse movement on said hull, and means independent of the water of fiotation for supporting the apparatus when the degree of submergence of the hull is increased.

4. In a machine for excavating canals and the like, the combination of' a 'floating hull, means for admitting water to the hull to vary the degree of submergence thereof, means for expelling the water at will, an excavator and spoil-conveyer mounted for transverse movement on said hull, and means independent of the Vwater of flotation for supporting the apparatus when the degree of submergence of the hull is increased.

5. In a machine for excavating canals and the like, the combination of a floating hull, means for varying the degree of submergence of said hull, a truss mounted transversely of saoee said hull and overhanging the berm on each side of the cut, an excavator and spoil-conveyer mounted for longitudinal movement on said truss, and means independent of the water of flotation for supporting the apparatus when the degree of submergence-of the hull is increased.

6. In a machine for excavating canals and the like, the combination of a floating hull, means for varying the degree of submergence of said hull, a truss mounted transversely of said hull and overhanging the berm on each side of the cut, an excavator and spoil-conveyer mounted for longitudinal and rotary movement on said truss, whereby the excavator may operate to dig the cut' and also to level the berm, and means independent of the water of flotation for supporting the apparatus when the degree of submergence is increased.

7. In a machine for excavating canals and the like, the combination of a iioating hull, means for varying the degree of submergence of said hull, a truss mounted transversely of said hull and overhanging the berm on each side of the cut, an excavator and spoil-conveyer mounted for longitudinal and rotary movement on said truss, whereby the excavator may operate to dig the cut and also to level the berm, and means for supporting the ends of the truss on the berms 'when the degree of submergence is increased.

8. In an excavator, the combination of a floating hull, means for varying the degree of submergence of said hull, and means independent of the water of submergence for supporting the apparatus when the degree of submergence is increased.

9. In an excavator, the combination of a floating hull, means for varying the degree of submergence of said hull, and means adapted to be interposed between the apparatus and the ground to support the former when the degree of submergence is increased.

10. In an excavator, the combination of a floating hull, means for varying the degree of submergence of said hull, and means to su port the apparatus on the ground, when t e degree of submergence is increased.

l1. In an excavator, the combination yof a floating hull, means for admitting Water thereto to increase the degree of submergence, means for supporting the apparatus upon the ground 'when the degree. of submergence is increased, and means for expelling Water from the hull.

12. In an excavator, the combination of a floating hull, a sea-cock for admitting water to the hull to vary the degree of submergence of said hull, means for supporting the apparatus upon the ground when the degree of submergence is increased, and a pump for expelling the water from the hull.

13. In an excavator, the combination of a floating hull, a trussk thereon to extend over IOO the berms of a canal, and means for increasing the submergence of the hull to cause the truss ends to engage the berms and support the apparatus while digging.

141. In an excavator, the combination of a iioating hull, a truss thereon to extend over the yberms of a canal, means for admitting water to increase the submergence to cause the truss ends to engage the berms and support the apparatus while digging, and means for expelling the water to lighten the hull and disengage the truss ends from the berms.

15. In an excavator, the combination of a floating hull, a truss thereon to extend over the berms of a canal, means for changing the iiotation of said hull to cause the truss ends to rest upon the berms during the digging operation, and elevator dredging machinery on said hull adapted to be moved transversely of the canal.

16. In an excavator, the combination of a floating hull, a truss thereon to extend over the berms of a canal, means for changing the flotation of said hull to cause the truss .ends to rest upon the berms during the digging operation, and elevator dredging machinery mounted on said hull for transverse and rotary movement.

17. In an excavator, the combination of a floating hull, and excavating machineryT mounted thereon for transverse and rotary motion to excavate the bed of the canal and also to level the berm. p

18. In an excavator, the combination of a floating hull, a truss mounted transversely of said hull and adapted to overhang the berm, a truck mounted for longitudinal movement on saidl truss, and an excavator pivotally mounted on said truss and adapted to excavate the bed ofthe canal and level the berm.

19. In an excavator, the combination of a truss adapted to extend across the cut and over the berm, and excavating machinery having a longitudinal and swinging movement on said truss to enable the said machinery to excavate the bed of the canal and level and trim advance sections of the berm.

20. In an excavator, the combination of a truss adapted to extend across the cut and over the berm, a truck mounted for longitudinal movement on the truss, and an elevatordredge pivotally mounted on said truck and adapted to excavate the bed of the canal and level and trim advance sections of the berm.

21. In a machine for excavating canals and the like, the combination of a truss extending transversely of the cut, an elevatordredge mounted upon said truss, a conveyer for receiving the spoil from the dredge and delivering the same upon the spoil-bank, and means for swinging the outboard end of the conveyer longitudinally of the spoil-bank.

22. In a machine for excavating canals and the like, the combination of a iioating hull, a truss extending transversely of the hull and across the cut, an elevator-dredge mounted upon said truss, a conveyer for receiving the spoil from the dredge and delivering' the same upon the spoil-bank, and means for swinging the outboard end of the conveyer longitudinally of the spoil-bank.

23. In a machine for excavating canals and the like, the combination of a floating hull, a truss extending transversely of the hull, an elevator-dredge mounted for longitudinal and pivotal movement on said truss, a conveyer carried by said dredge and delivering the spoil upon the spoil-bank, and means for swinging the outboard end of said conveyer longitudinally of the spoil-bank.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER FERRIS.

Witnesses:

RIDGELY FLETCHER, HARRY B. HAYDEN. 

